Winter Sowing Snapdragons

This year I am winter sowing snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus), which are annuals that prefer to bloom in the cool spring season. Easy to grow from seed, snapdragons have been bred extensively. There are cultivars with traditional “snap” flowers, open-faced flowers, or double flowers in all colors except for blue. There are dwarfs (6-15 inches), intermediate (15-30 inches), and tall snapdragons (30-48 inches) as well as trailing varieties. These plants are very versatile. They can be grown in rock gardens, containers, hanging baskets, or in the garden.

Snapdragons need full sun and moist but well drained soil high in organic matter. Although they are known for blooming in the spring, if kept watered in the summer and deadheaded, they could bloom again.

Madame Butterfly is an excellent cut flower type and a 1970 All-America Selections Flower Winner

I winter sow snapdragons for several reasons: 1) starting from seed provides a wider range of varieties; 2) starting from seed is cheaper; and 3) winter sowing gives me a jump on the spring season.

In early spring, I will open up the milk jug and transplant the seedlings into the garden. They can take a light frost.

Snapdragons make an excellent cut flower. They need to be deadheaded to encourage a long blooming period. The florets start opening at the bottom of the flower spike first so remove those spent flowers first. Or just cut the entire flower head when blooms are past their prime but cut at the base of the plant.

When cutting the flowers for the vase, cut when a few florets have opened at the bottom and the top buds are still closed. Cut the stem at the base, near the ground and strip off the lower leaves. Cut snapdragons last several weeks.

Try growing snapdragons in your garden this year for deer resistant, cool season flowers.

Snap Doubleshot Yellow Red Heart is a 2025 All-America Selections Ornamental Seed Winner

Bottom two photos are courtesy of All-America Selections.